A Look Ahead to 2017

                It’s hard to believe that another baseball season has come and gone. This is the saddest part of the whole year, knowing that baseball is gone for five months. (Four until Spring Training games.) Besides the success of the MLB season, we also had some great success at Top Of The Third. This year was my first full season blogging and it was challenging, some times frustrating, but a lot of fun being able to put out a blog post for 248 consecutive days (March 1^st—November 4^th) and a total of 248 posts.

                The primary focus of 2016 was the 40^th Season of the Toronto Blue Jays but we also focused on the 1981 Montreal Expos, the 100^th anniversary of the Chicago Cubs playing at Wrigley Field, and we introduced a new segment (Recommended Reading) where I gave my review on some baseball books.

                It’s time for a break now, I’ll relax a bit, watch some football, a little bit hockey, and start to prepare for the 2017 season. Plans are already in the works for next season, and the focus will turn to less history and more opinion-type posts.

                But we won’t turn our back on history completely. Baseball, more than any other sport, honours its history and always remembers the great moments, players and games. Our “This Day In Baseball History” segment will continue, but to a lesser scale, maybe two or three posts per month. In July, we will devote one week to the All-Star Game and another to the Hall of Fame like we did this year.

                And while we won’t take the whole season to focus on a team like we did with the Blue Jays this year, 2017 will focus on some milestone moments. For example, it will be the 50^th anniversary of the 1967 Boston Red Sox who took their fans along for the ride in The Impossible Dream. It will mark 55 years since the second-year Los Angeles Angels balked at the establishment and took on the New York Yankees in an unforgettable chase for the American League pennant.

                On April 15 of next year, it will have been 70 years since Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier and played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. But rather than look at only Robinson, 2017 will see us focus on the importance that the Negro Leagues had on baseball. Exactly how I will approach that hasn’t been decided yet, but it is important that the stories from a league that defied MLB’s segregation be told. I’m looking forward to learning them along with you.

                So while we may be saddened by the end of the 2016 season, we can always take comfort in the fact that winter goes by quickly.

No More Curses

                Bye-bye, billy goat. The curse is over. The Chicago Cubs capped a memorable season with a thrilling 8-7 Game 7 victory over the Cleveland Indians in ten innings last night, to end a 108-year World Series drought. As for the Indians, they will have to wait until next year to end their now 68-year wait. And while I was rooting for Cleveland to win, you have to be happy for the Cubs and admire their effort. Down three games to one, and seemingly having no answer for the Cleveland pitching staff, they pulled off the comeback, the first team to rally from such a deficit in the Fall Classic since the 1985 Kansas City Royals.

                Aside from that, Chicago is also the first team to win Games 6 & 7 of the World Series on the road since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, who also rallied from being down three games to one.

                So now that the Cubs have won, there will be no more talking about a curse. Boston destroyed the Curse of the Bambino, the White Sox wiped out the Curse of the Black Sox, and now the Cubs said good-bye to the Curse of the Billy Goat.

                And while you must feel good for players like Anthony Rizzo, Jake Arrietta, Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant, who can’t help but feel a bit sorry for all those great Cubs’ player of the past 108 years who never got to win the Fall Classic: Ernie Banks, for example, or Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg or Sammy Sosa.

                And now it’s on to the next lengthy drought. But it will be some time before the Indians’ streak of futility reaches the epic ineptitude of Boston or either of the Chicago teams. Those three streaks were pretty, pathetically long and the way the Indians roster is stacked with talent, their drought should be over in the next couple of years.

                Anyway, congrats to the Cubs and here’s hoping winter goes by quickly.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Baseball History: November 2, 2009: Phillies Stay Alive

November 2^nd, 2009

World Series, Game 5

New York Yankees at Philadelphia Phillies

Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia

            Well, I didn’t have much of a choice on this one as the game we will look at is the only MLB game to have ever been played on November 2^nd. So let’s get to it.

            The Philadelphia Phillies were the defending World Series champions having defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 World Series in five games. The Yankees were looking for their first championship in nine years despite throwing hundreds of millions of dollars around in attempt to buy another championship. Thus far, it had not worked.

            After the Phillies took the first game by a score of 6-1, the Yankees responded by winning three consecutive games (the scores were 3-1, 8-5 and 7-4) and now had a chance to wrap up their 27^th World Series title. A.J. Burnett would get the start for the Yanks while the Phils would counter with Cliff Lee.

            The Yankees would score in the top of the first when Alex Rodriguez doubled in Johnny Damon with two outs. But the Phillies would respond in a big way in their first trip to the plate. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins singled. Centre fielder Shane Victorino was hit by a pitch. Then second baseman Chase Utley connected for a three-run home run to give Philly a 3-1 lead.

            They would add three more runs in the bottom of the third. RBI singles by outfielders Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez, and an RBI ground out by catcher Carlos Ruiz would increase the Phils lead to 6-1. Burnett was knocked out of the game after the Ibanez single.

            The Yankees scratched a run back in the fifth when a ground out by Damon scored Eric Hinske, but a pair of solo home runs (by Utley and Ibanez) increased the lead to 8-2. It was turning into a laugher and it looked safe to assume the Series was headed back to the Bronx.

            A double by A-Rod in the top of the eighth scored Damon and Mark Teixeira, and then A-Rod scored on a sac fly by Robinson Cano, to close the gap to 8-5. Then the Yanks put together another threat in the top of the ninth when they had runners on first and third and none out. But Derek Jeter grounded into a double play and although one run scored, the threat was over.

            Phillies’ closer Ryan Madson struck out Teixeira to end the game and the Phils were back in the Series. But the momentum didn’t last long as the Yanks rebounded to take the sixth game by a 7-3 score.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: More Yankee Magic

November 1^st, 2001

World Series, Game 5

Arizona Diamondbacks at New York Yankees

Yankee Stadium, New York

            Since we looked at Game 4 of the 2001 World Series yesterday, there’s no way we can move on without looking at Game 5 today. The fifth game would prove to be just as dramatic, with the Series now tied at two games a piece, with the winner to take a three games to two lead back to the desert for Game 6 and, possibly, Game 7.

            For the Yankees, who now had all the momentum and a jacked-up Yankee crowd behind them, Mike Mussina would get the start on the hill while the Diamondbacks would counter with Miguel Batista. Both pitchers would get into a little trouble early on but the game remained scoreless through four innings.

            With everything stacked against them (the momentum, the Yankee mystique, the fans, the media, the broadcasters) the D-backs were the first on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Centre fielder Steve Finley led off the inning with a solo home run off of Mussina. Two outs later, catcher Rod Barajas also went deep, another solo shot to give Arizona a 2-0 lead.

            Even worse for the Yankees, they were having no luck against Batista as inning after inning, the right-hander stymied the New Yorkers. Batista’s line for the game would be 7 2/3 innings pitched, no runs, five hits three walks and ten strike outs. He was lifted with two out in the eight inning after surrendering a walk and a single, but left-handed reliever Greg Swindell got Tino Martinez to fly out and preserve the 2-0 lead.

            No runs for Arizona in the ninth meant for the second night in a row, they would take a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth. And again, D-Back manager Bob Brenly would call on his closer, Byung-Hyun Kim, to get the final three outs.

            Yankee catcher, Jorge Posada, got the Yankee fans into it when he led off the inning with a double. But Kim quickly got a ground out from Shane Spencer and struck out Chuck Knoblach. Now with two out, and Posada still on second, Kim would face Yankee third baseman Scott Brosius.

            On the second pitch of the at bat, Brosius belted a high fly ball over the wall in left for a game-tying two-run home run. Unbelievable that New York could pull off the same comeback with two out in the ninth inning two nights in a row, but it had happened. With Yankee Stadium going berserk, Kim would be removed from the game. He wouldn’t pitch in the World Series again.

            The Yankees failed to score again in the inning and for the second night in a row, the game would go into extras. Neither team scored in the tenth or eleventh, although the Diamondbacks loaded the bases in the top of the eleventh, but couldn’t get any runs out of it. After Arizona went in order in the top of the twelfth, the Yankees came up to the plate for their turn.

            Now facing relief pitcher Albie Lopez, Knoblach led off the inning with a single. Brosius dropped down a sacrifice bunt, moving Knoblach into scoring position. That brought Soriano to the plate with a chance to give the Yankees the Series lead. On the fourth pitch he saw, Soriano did just that with a single to right field. Knoblach came racing around third and slid into home with the game-winning run. The Yankees had come back two nights in a row and now needed one more win for their fourth straight World Series title.

            But the D-Backs wouldn’t have any of it. After thrashing New York, 15-2, in Game 6, Arizona provided some ninth-inning magic of their own in the seventh game. Trailing 2-1, they Diamondbacks rallied for two runs off of Yankee closer Mariano Rivera to win the game and the World Series, denying the Yanks their chance at four-in-a-row.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 31, 2001: Mr. November

October 31st, 2001

World Series, Game 4

Arizona Diamondbacks at New York Yankees

Yankee Stadium, New York

            The 2001 World Series was played in the shadow of the tragic events that happened on September 11. The city of New York, and all of the United States for that matter, was trying to recover from the devastation that was wrought on them. The attempt of the New York Yankees to win the World Series for the fourth year was a diversion for the citizens of New York from the reality that their world had been shattered with the attack on the World Trade Centre Twin Towers.

            The Arizona Diamondbacks were in the World Series and merely expected to be the bit players in the World Series as it was expected the Yankees would do New York proud and win another Championship.

            But the D-Backs weren’t just happy to be in the Fall Classic; they wanted to win it. After a 9-1 victory in Game 1 and a 4-0 win in Game 2, Arizona took a two games to none lead to the Bronx. After the Yankees squeaked out a 2-1 win in the third game, the stage was set for a Halloween showdown at Yankee Stadium. Curt Schilling would get the ball for the D-Backs while the Yanks would go with “El Duque,” Orlando Hernandez.

            After the first two innings went by without a run, the Yankees took the lead in the bottom of the third, when outfielder Shane Spencer led off the inning with a home run. It would be the last run Schilling would allow this game. And the Diamondbacks quickly tied it in the top of the fourth when first baseman Mark Grace hit a solo home run with two out.

            No runs scored in the fifth, sixth or seventh. Mike Stanton had replaced El Duque in the seventh, and the lefthander came out to pitch the eighth. But with one out and a runner on, Stanton would surrender double to Erubiel Durozo that scored the go-ahead run. A ground ball out would score another run and Arizona now had a 3-1 lead.

            Surprisingly, Arizona manager Bob Brenly decided not to let Schilling pitch the bottom of the eighth, despite the fact the Yankee batters couldn’t touch him. Instead, Brenly brought in his closer, Byung-Hyun Kim, to finish the job and get a six-out save. Kim struck out the side to send the game to the ninth and after Yankee reliever Ramiro Mendoza got the D-backs in order in the top half of the inning, the game moved into the bottom half, with Arizona needing only three outs to take a commanding three games to one lead in the Series.

            With one out, right fielder Paul O’Neill singled to left field. After Kim struck out Bernie Williams, the Diamondbacks were only one out away from taking a commanding three games to one lead in the Series. But Yankee first baseman, Tino Martinez, brought the Yankee Stadium crowd to its feet when he belted the first pitch he saw from Kim over the wall in right-centre field to tie the game at three.

            The Yankees then put the next two batters on and had a chance to win the game, but Kim struck out Spencer to send the game into extra innings.

            New York’s closer, Mariano Rivera, pitched a one-two-three top of the tenth and Kim came back out to pitch the bottom half. He got third baseman Scott Brosius and second baseman Alfonso Soriano to fly out, bringing short stop Derek Jeter to the plate with two out.

            As Jeter came to the plate, the clock struck midnight, meaning October had officially ended and, for the first time in history, the World Series was being played in the month of November.

            The first pitch was fouled off and after Jeter swung and missed at the second pitch, Kim was ahead 0-2. After a pitch low and away was ball one, Jeter fouled off two more pitches before taking two pitches outside to run the count full, then fouled off another pitch.

            On the ninth pitch of the at bat, Jeter took Kim’s pitch the opposite way and deep. Arizona right fielder Reggie Sanders raced back but it was pointless. The ball sailed over the wall for the dramatic, game-winning walk-off home run. The Yankees had evened the Series and Jeter was the hero.

            Who else but the Yankee shortstop could have the honour of being “Mr. November”?

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 30, 2013: Sweet Caroline!!!

October 30^th, 2013

World Series, Game 6

St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox

Fenway Park, Boston

            In the 2013 World Series, both the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox were trying to become the first team to win three Fall Classics in the new millennium. After Boston had ended an 86-year drought in 2004, they won another championship in 2007. But this Red Sox team was vastly different from the 2004 team, with only several players still on board from 2007. The mainstay, of course, was David Ortiz. If Boston won, he would be the only player to have been a member of all three championship teams.

            The Cardinals, meanwhile, had won it all in 2006 and 2011. Their roster in 2013 was vastly different from the 2006 team as well, with catcher Yadier Molina and pitcher Adam Wainwright being the only holdovers.

            Boston took the first game at Fenway Park rather easily, with the final score being 8-1. But the Cards came back and took Game 2, 4-2, and then took Game 3 in St. Louis, 5-4, on a controversial interference call in the bottom of the ninth.  With runners on second and third, Molina was thrown out on a plate on a ground ball to second baseman Dustin Pedroia. But Boston catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia threw wide of third, trying to throw out Cardinal runner Alan Craig. Boston third baseman, Will Middlebrooks’ legs got tangled with Craig’s and umpire John Joyce immediately called obstruction, meaning Craig automatically scored. Boston protested but the call was correct. Even though the contact initiated by Middlebrooks was accidentally, it was still interference.

            However, Boston rebounded to take Games 4 and 5 by scores of 4-2 and 3-1 to take a three games to two lead back to Fenway. Incidentally, Game 4 also ended with a bit of controversy. In the bottom of the ninth, with two out, Boston closer Koji Uehara picked Cardinal base runner Kolten Wong off of first base. St. Louis claimed Uehara balked, but replays (again) confirmed the correct call was made.

            For Game 6, with Boston trying to win the World Series at Fenway for the first time since 1918, John Lackey would get the start on the mound for the Sox while Michael Wacha would get the ball for St. Louis.

            The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third when outfielder Shane Victorino came to the plate with the bases loaded and two out. On the fourth pitch of the at bat, Victorino doubled off the Green Monster, clearing the bases and giving Boston a 3-0 lead.

            They would add three more in the bottom of the fourth. A lead off home run by Stephen Drew made it 4-0. RBI singles by Mike Napoli and Ortiz would make it 6-0. Meanwhile, Lackey was cruising along, shutting out the Cardinals until the top of the seventh. An RBI single by Carlos Beltran would score the only run of the game by St. Louis.

            Boston didn’t score again, but they didn’t need to. Uehara pitched a one-two-three top of the ninth, striking out Matt Carpenter for the final out and giving Boston their third World Championship in the last ten years.

            David Ortiz would earn MVP honours by batting .688 in the Series, with two homers, six RBIS, 11 hits, eight walks and seven runs scored.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 29, 2014: Bumgarner's Magnificent Performance

October 29^th, 2014

World Series, Game 7

San Francisco Giants at Kansas City Royals

Kaufman Stadium, Kansas City

            In their first postseason appearance since winning the World Series in 1985, the Royals qualified as a wild card, came from behind to defeat Oakland in the Wild Card Game, swept the Los Angeles Angels in the Division Series, then swept the Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS. The Royals were led by catcher Salvador Perez, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and first baseman Eric Hosmer.

            The San Francisco Giants were looking to capture their third World Series in five years, having won the championship in 2010 and 2012. Their offense was led by Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Belt and Gregor Blanco. And they had All-Star pitcher Madison Bumgarner, who was in the middle of one of the best postseason pitching performances ever.

            In the National League Wild Card Game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bumgarner pitched a four-hit shutout while striking out ten as the Giants won 8-0. He lost his only start in the NLDS against Washington, giving up two earned runs in seven innings, but the Giants won the series in four games. Then in the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, he pitched seven shutout innings in the first game, a 3-0 San Fran win, then he got a no-decision in the clinching Game 5, which the Giants won in the bottom of the ninth.

            Now it was on to the World Series. The first two games in Kansas City were split with the Giants taking the first game 7-1—behind Bumgarner’s seven innings giving up just one run—while the Royals took Game 2, 7-2. In AT & T Park in San Francisco, KC won Game 3, 3-2, while the Giants took the fourth Game, 11-4.

            Bumgarner pitched a complete game shutout in Game 5 (5-0 was the final score) while the Royals thrashed the Giants 10-0 to set up Game 7. The pitching matchup would be Tim Hudson for San Francisco and Jeremy Guthrie for Kansas City.

            The Giants scored two runs in the top of the second, both on sacrifice flies. The first came off the bat of Michael Morse, while Brandon Crawford was responsible for the second. The Royals tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI double by Alex Gordon and a sac fly by Omar Infante.

            The Giants regained the lead in the top of the fourth on Morse’s RBI single and San Francisco manager, Bruce Bochy, called on Bumgarner in the fifth inning. The left-hander continued his amazing World Series run as time and time again he frustrated the Royals’ batters. But the Giants couldn’t add to their lead and thus took the 3-2 lead to the bottom of the ninth. Bochy left Bumgarner on the mound to finish the job.

            After getting the first two batters out rather easily, Bumgarner faced Alex Gordon, the Royals’ last hope. Gordon singled to left-centre, but left-fielder, Juan Perez, mis-played the ball and it got by him and rolled all the way to the wall. If Gordon had been blessed with a little more speed he may have scored the game-tying run, but instead he only made it to third.

            That brought Salvador Perez to the plate with the game-tying run only 90 feet away. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Bumgarner got Perez to hit a high pop up in foul territory on the third base side. Sandoval squeezed the ball for the final out and the Giants were World Champions again.

            For the series, Bumgarner pitched 21 innings over three games, allowed only one run for a 0.43 ERA, surrendered only nine hits and one walk and struck out 17 batters while picking up two wins and one save. He was the obvious choice for the World Series MVP Award.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 28, 1995: The Team of the Nineties (?)

October 28^th, 1995

World Series, Game 6

Cleveland Indians at Atlanta Braves

Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta

            In 1995, the American media dubbed the Atlanta Braves the “Team of the 90s.” That moniker was a bit confusing considering (a) the decade was only half over and (b) the Braves had yet to win a World Series. They had won their division three consecutive seasons (1994 was the strike-shortened season) but had lost two World Series (to Minnesota in 1991 and Toronto in 1992) and the 1993 NLCS to Philadelphia. The real reason for the “Team of the 90s” name was because the media was merely trying to take the focus away from the fact that a team from Canada had won two consecutive World Series. After the Toronto Blue Jays underachieved in 1994 and 1995, the media was eager to belittle the Jays’ accomplishments and focus on the Braves.

            Don’t get me wrong, the Braves had a solid team but to crown a team without a championship the best team of the decade was ludicrous and delusional.

            On the American League side, the Cleveland Indians, after decades of futility, had put together a solid team that won the A.L. pennant for the first time since 1954. They had won 100 games in a regular season that was 18 games short of 162 due to the players’ strike extending into March and April.

            The first two games in Atlanta were well-pitched games that ended in the Braves winning both by one run: 3-2 in Game 1 and 4-3 in Game 2. In danger of falling behind three games to none, the Indians gritted out a 7-6 eleven-inning victory in Game 3, but lost 5-2 in the fourth game. However, facing elimination, the Tribe managed to stay alive with a 5-4 win sending the Series back to Atlanta.

            The Game 6 pitching matchup was Dennis Martinez for the Indians and Tom Glavine for the Braves. But the talking point before the game was David Justice and his criticism of the Atlanta fans. Basically, Justice had said the fans were a bit subdued and didn’t match their enthusiasm from past Atlanta postseasons. He was criticized in the papers and booed during player introductions.

            The booing intensified when he came to bat for the first time in the second inning. But being lost in the Justice controversy was a great pitching matchup from Martinez and Glavine. The Atlanta left-hander had a no-hitter going through five innings and had only yielded two walks. “El Presidente”, meanwhile, had been in trouble throughout the game but did not surrender any runs. However, he was relieved with two out in the bottom of the fifth by Jim Poole.

            After Glavine finally surrendered a hit in the top of the sixth, the Braves came to bat in their half of the inning with the game still scoreless. Justice was the leadoff batter and, amidst the boos, had walked in his first at bat and doubled his second time up. While the crowd still showed a bit of displeasure as he came to bat in the sixth, the Atlanta right-fielder quickly turned them around when he ripped a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall for a 1-0 Braves lead.

            Glavine made the lead hold up for the next few innings and didn’t allow another hit. The Braves didn’t score in their next at bats so Atlanta took the 1-0 lead into the top of the ninth and handed the ball to their closer, Mark Wohlers.

            The Indians went in order the Braves finally had their World Series Championship.

            The farcical “Team of the 90s” name wouldn’t last, however, as the resurgent New York Yankees would win three championships of their own before the decade ended.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Baseball History: October 27, 1991: The Greatest World Series Ever

October 27^th, 1991

World Series, Game 7

Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins

Metrodome, Minneapolis

            Some baseball experts have called this the greatest World Series ever and I would have to agree. Not only did you have five one-run games, four of which were walk-offs, but you also had two teams, in Minnesota and Atlanta, who had finished in last place in their respective divisions in 1990. The worst-to-first story, which is very rare, happened to two teams in one year.

            The Braves benefited from the return of GM Bobby Cox to the dugout as the manager of the club. He hadn’t been a manager since 1985 when he guided the Toronto Blue Jays to the postseason. The emergence of starting pitchers Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Steve Avery, and the additions of Lonnie Smith, Sid Bream and Terry Pendleton to a lineup that already included David Justice, Greg Olson and Ron Gant helped change the fortunes of the Braves.

            The Twins had talent all throughout the lineup led by outfielders Kirby Puckett and Dan Gladden, first baseman Kent Hrbek and rookie second baseman Chuck Knoblach. Their pitching staff included Kevin Tapani, Scott Erickson and free-agent signee Jack Morris.

            After the Twins took the first two games at home by scores of 5-2 and 3-2, the Braves rallied to win all three games in Atlanta, 5-4 in 12 innings, 3-2 and 14-5 to take a three games to two lead on the road to the Metrodome.

            Game 6 is the most memorable game of the Series that included a terrific catch and walk off home run in the eleventh inning by future Hall-of-Famer, and Twin fan favourite, Kirby Puckett. It set the stage for Game 7, that was just as dramatic, intense and nerve-wracking as the sixth game.

            Smoltz would start on the hill for Atlanta while Morris would get the ball for the Twins. Morris would shut out the Braves over nine innings, while Smoltz would pitch eight scoreless before being relieved in the bottom of the ninth. After the Twins got the first two batters on in the ninth on singles, a double play and a strike out ended the threat sending the scoreless game to extra innings.

            But if not for a base-running error, the Braves would have already won the World Series. In the top of the eighth, Lonnie Smith led off for the Braves with a single. The next batter, Terry Pendleton, lined a double into the gap in left-centre field. Smith, hesitated on the play, thinking the ball was going to be caught. Perhaps he lost sight of the ball, because it was obvious from watching Gladden and Puckett take off for the ball that neither was going to get it, and with Smith’s speed he should have scored easily.

            Instead he only made it to third. Morris would bear down and get the next three Braves batters, leaving Smith at third and keeping the game scoreless.

            Now back to the extra innings. After the Braves went in order in the tenth (Morris was still on the mound for the Twins), Gladden led off the bottom of the tenth with a double. After Knoblach dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third, Puckett and Hrbek were intentionally walked to load the bases. With the outfield in to try and get the runner at the plate on a potential short fly ball, pinch-hitter Gene Larkin hit the ball over their heads for the game-winning hit as Gladden touched the plate for the World Series-clinching run.

            Morris was selected as the Series’ Most Valuable Player, having pitched three games, won two of them, allowed only three runs for an ERA of 1.17 and struck out 15 batters in 23 innings of work.

            To date, this is the last World Series appearance for the Twins, while the Braves would be back four more times throughout the 1990s.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 26, 1985: Controversial Call Aids Royals

October 26^th, 1985

World Series, Game 6

St. Louis Cardinals at Kansas City Royals

Royals Stadium, Kansas City

            The Kansas City Royals had been a contender for ten years. After coming into the American League as an expansion team in 1969, they won their first division title in 1976. Three consecutive division championships, however, were followed by losses in the ALCS to the New York Yankees all three seasons. After winning another AL West crown in 1980, the Royals swept the Yankees in the ALCS before falling to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.

            A loss to the Oakland A’s in the 1981 ALDS and a three-game sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers in the 1984 ALCS only added to the frustrations of the Royals and their fans. If it weren’t for the switch to a best-of-seven in the ALCS for 1985, Kansas City would have come up short again. But after falling behind three games to one to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Royals came roaring back to win three straight games to advance to the World Series.

            Their opponent would be the St. Louis Cardinals, no stranger to comebacks themselves. They had trailed the Milwaukee Brewers three games to two in the 1982 World Series and had won the last two contests to capture the championship. And in the 1985 NLCS, they had dropped the first two games to the Los Angeles Dodgers before winning four consecutive games to capture the pennant.

            And the Cards came out of the gate strong in the World Series, winning the first two games in Kansas City by scores of 3-1 and 4-2. After the Royals took Game 3, 6-1, St. Louis took the fourth game, 3-0, and were one win away giving Kansas City another disappointment. But the Royals stayed alive by winning Game 5, 6-1, and sending the Fall Classic back to Royals Stadium.

            Eighteen-game winner, Danny Cox, would start on the mound for the Cardinals for Game 6, while KC would go with Charlie Liebrandt, who had won 17 games during the regular season. Both pitchers would throw magnificently and keep the opposing batters baffled all night long.

            Cox would pitch seven innings, and although he allowed seven hits and one walk, he struck out eight Royals and didn’t allow a run. Liebrandt matched him, pitching a shutout over seven innings as well.

            The Royals’ left-hander would start the eighth and would give up a one-out single to Cardinal third baseman Terry Pendleton. Outfielder, Cesar Cedeno, would then walk before Liebrandt struck out catcher Darryl Porter for the second out. The pitcher’s spot was due up and St. Louis manager Whitey Herzog sent up Brian Hunger to pinch hit for Cox. After falling behind in the count, 1-2, Harper came through in the clutch with a single to centre field, scoring Pendleton and giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.

            After a scoreless bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth, the Cardinals brought in closer Todd Worrell to close out the Royals and win St. Louis their second championship in four years. The lead off batter for KC was Jorge Orta and no one was prepared for what would happen next.

            With two strikes against him, Orta send a bouncing ball to Cardinal first baseman, Jack Clark, who fielded the ball and tossed it to Worrell who was covering the bag. It appeared the pitcher touched the bag before Orta, but umpire Don Denkinger ruled Orta safe. Replays confirmed Orta had been out, but there was no replay review back in 1985 and the safe call was not overturned.

            Things got worse for St. Louis a few pitches later. The Royals’ batter was Steve Balboni and he lifted a high pop up into foul territory that was sure to be the first out. Both Clark and catcher Darryl Porter chased the ball towards the first base dugout. Clark looked at Porter, expecting the catcher to make the play, but Porter was already looking at Clark. The ball fell harmlessly to the ground for a foul ball. Balboni singled on the next pitch. Now, instead of the Cardinals being one out away from the World Series, the Royals had two on and none out.

            Onix Concepcion pinch ran for Balboni. The next batter was catcher Jim Sundberg and he tried to drop down a sacrifice bunt, but Worrell forced Orta at third for the first out.  But after the failed sacrifice attempt, Worrell uncorked a wild pitch to advance the runners anyway.

            To set up a force play at every base, Hal McRae was walked intentionally to load the bases for Dane Iorg, pinch hitting for Kansas City relief pitcher, Dan Quisenberry. On the second pitch of the at bat, Iorg lined a pitch into right field for a base hit. Concepcion scored easily to tie the game and Sundberg rounded third attempting to score and give the Royals the victory. The throw from Cardinal right fielder Andy Van Slyke was on target, but Sundberg slid under Porter’s tag and was safe.

            The Royals had won in improbable fashion and had forced a seventh game. Still traumatized from the events in the ninth inning of Game 6, the Cards were hammered 11-0 by Kansas City. While over the years, the Cardinal players and fans have blamed Denkinger’s bad call for losing the World Series, they fail to mention that their pitchers were horrendous in that seventh game—and that had nothing to do with Denkinger.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

I'm Picking the Indians to Win the World Series

                Over the last couple of days, we have seen endless predictions, analysis and the never-ending “expert” advice on who will win the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians.

Both teams are looking to end long championship droughts. The Cubs last won in 1908 (108 years) and are in their first Fall Classic in 71 years. The Indians last tasted victory champagne in 1948 and have been to three World Series since then. They were swept by the Willie Mays-led New York Giants in 1954, were out-pitched by the Atlanta Braves in 1995 and then lost a heart-breaking Game 7 in 1997 to the Florida Marlins in a ninth-inning rally that was aided by a fielding error.

And it seems that all the money is on the Cubs. All the odds-makers are picking Chicago to win, most of the sports-writers are taking them as well, and it seems all fans that live outside of north-eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania are rooting for the Cubbies too, what with the sympathy factor of not winning in 108 years and all.

And of course, the media (FOX) wants a Chicago victory. After all, they didn’t want a small market city in the World Series anyway, and I’m sure there were a lot of network executives hitting the roof when both the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers were swept in the ALDS. Hence the ALCS featuring the Indians and Toronto Blue Jays got the short end of the stick and had to start the 4 P.M. games when both LCS series were played on the same day, all to accommodate the bigger markets of Chicago and Los Angeles.

I’m not going to get into specifics, as about a couple thousand writers and bloggers have already done, but the Cubs have a solid pitching staff top to bottom with four above average starters and a dynamite closer. Their offense is strong, top to bottom, and can hit for power, average and get clutch hits when necessary.

The Indians, on the other hand, shouldn’t even be here. Their pitching staff is in shambles with two (possibly three) starters not able to pitch. They don’t have a lot of power hitters in the line-up and rely on speed, situational hitting and solid defense to win games. They were supposed to get swept by the big bats of the Boston Red Sox but instead it was the Tribe that did the sweeping. They weren’t supposed to last more than five games against the Blue Jays but it was the Tribe again that won the ALCS in five games. So why should the World Series be any different?

Granted, the Cubs pitching staff is better than Boston’s and their batters don’t watch called strikes because they’re looking for the home run like the Blue Jays, but don’t count the Indians out before the show even starts.

Corey Kluber will likely start three games and any game that he pitches, Cleveland has a chance to win. If they can muster at least one win out of their remaining starters, they have an opportunity to pull off the upset. And don’t forget the back end of the bull pen, with Andrew Miller and Cody Allen ready to shut out opponents in the late innings.

And with 11 homers in eight post season games, the Indians have enough power to compete with the Cubs. In fact, any of Coco Crisp, Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana, Jason Kipnis or Mike Napoli can match up evenly with Chris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Javier Baez.

So while everyone is fawning over the Cubs, don’t expect the Indians to be an afterthought in a Series where Chicago is going to easily end their 108-year drought. Expect a tough series, that will see some solid pitching, great defense and a lot of one or two-run games. And it will be the Indians who will win in seven.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 25, 1986: Mets Win!!! Mets Win!!!

October 25^th, 1986

World Series, Game 6

Boston Red Sox at New York Mets

Shea Stadium, New York

            There’s not too much that can be written about this game that hasn’t already been done. This game is, perhaps, the most exciting game in World Series history. So, I won’t try to over-analyze the game, or any given play or strategy, but rather give just a recap of the action. For those of us old enough to remember this game, it was indeed an instant classic that has been fun to relive for thirty years.

            The Red Sox were in the World Series for the first time since 1975 and were trying to end their 68-year drought. Offensively they were led by American League batting champion Wade Boggs, outfielders Jim Rice and Dwight Evans, and first baseman Bill Buckner. The pitching staff was led by Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst and Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd. (How come nobody has any cool nicknames like “Oil Can” anymore?)

            The last World Series appearance for the New York Mets had been 1973, a loss to the Oakland Athletics. Their last (and only) victory in the Fall Classic had been 1969 when they upset the heavily-favoured Baltimore Orioles. Former Montreal Expos’ catcher Gary Carter led the way for the Mets, with help from outfielders Lenny Dykstra and Darryl Strawberry and first baseman Keith Hernandez. The pitching staff was led by Dwight Gooden, Sid Fernandez and Ron Darling.

            The Red Sox had won the first two games at Shea (1-0 and 9-3) but the Mets rebounded to take Games 3 and 4 at Fenway (7-1 and 6-2) before Boston became the first team to win a game at home (4-2) and took the three games to two Series lead back to Queens, needing only one win to clinch the World Series.

            The starting pitchers for Game 6 would be Clemens for Boston, and Bob Ojeda for New York. And the Red Sox got to Ojeda early as they took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Evans doubled to left-centre field with two out, scoring Boggs. They would add to the lead in the second when second baseman Marty Barrett singled with two out scoring shortstop Spike Owen. Clemens now had a 2-0 lead to work with.

            The Mets finally got to The Rocket in the bottom of the fifth. Strawberry led off with a walk and then stole second. Third baseman Ray Knight then singled up the middle into centre field, scoring Strawberry and making the score 2-1 for Boston. Mookie Wilson then singled and when Evans bobbled the ball in right, Knight moved to third. Clemens got a double play ball off the bat of Danny Heep, but Knight scored and the game was tied at two.

            Boston re-took the lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI ground out by Evans that scored Barrett. The Red Sox almost scored another run that inning when the next batter, catcher Rich Gedman, singled to left. Rice rounded third and tried to score but Mookie Wilson threw a strike to the plate and when Carter tagged Rice out, the score remained 3-2.

            A sacrifice fly by Carter in the bottom of the eighth scored Lee Mazilli and tied the games at three. After a scoreless ninth, the game went into the tenth: the most dramatic inning in World Series’ history.

            With Mets’ reliever Rich Aguilera on the hill, Dave Henderson deposited the second pitch of the inning down the left field line and just inside the foul pole. The Red Sox dugout went nuts as they had taken the 4-3 lead and were now three outs away from a World Series Championship. The crowd at Shea sat in stunned silence. It was at this moment that NBC broadcaster Vin Scully would make the first of three memorable comments in this game that would be forever echoed as this game was retold. As Henderson touched home plate, Scully said, “It’s so quiet in New York, you can almost hear them cheering in Boston.”

            It got even quieter a few batters later when a two-out single by Barrett drove home Boggs and the Sox had a 5-3 heading to the bottom of the ninth with closer, Calvin Schiraldi on the mound.

            After Mets’ second baseman flew out to Rice in left and Keith Hernandez flew out to Henderson in centre, the Red Sox were one out away. But catcher Gary Carter singled to centre to keep the New York hopes alive. Pinch hitter Keith Mitchell then singled into centre, moving Carter up to second. The next batter was Knight and with the Mets down to their last strike, he swung at the 0-2 pitch and made it three singles in a row on a line drive to right centre. On the play, Carter scored to make it 5-4 and Mitchell moved to third.

            With the tying run only 90 feet away, Boston manager Bob McNamara removed Schiraldi from the game and replaced him with Bob Stanley. The batter would be Mookie Wilson and this would prove to be the at bat of the Series. After Stanley got two strikes on Mookie, the Mets’ left fielder would battle to stay alive, fouling of several pitches.

            On the seventh pitch of the at bat, Stanley threw too low and too inside. As Mookie jumped out of the way, the ball got past Gedman and went all the way to the backstop. Mitchell easily scored to tie the game and Knight moved into second.

            With the count now 3-2, Mookie fouled off a couple more pitches. Then, he hit a ground ball to first base. Scully’s call of the play (and second memorable quote) followed: “Little roller up along first, beHIND THE BAG, IT GETS THROUGH BUCKNER. HERE COMES KNIGHT AND THE METS WIN IT.”

            After a few moments to let the riotous, but celebratory noise of Shea Stadium calm down just a bit, Scully delivered memorable quote number three: “If one picture is worth a thousand words, you have seen about a million words.”

            The Red Sox couldn’t recover and the Mets took Game 7 by an 8-5 score.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 24, 2012: The Panda Show

October 24^th, 2012

World Series, Game 1

Detroit Tigers at San Francisco Giants

AT & T Park, San Francisco

            After winning the World Series in 2010, the Giants were back two years later to capture another. But their path to the Fall Classic had not been easy. In the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds, the Giants had dropped the first two games at home before rallying to win three straight in Cincinnati to capture the series.

            Then, in the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Giants again fell behind, this time three games to one, but again reeled off three wins in a row to comeback and win to advance to the World Series.

            As for the Tigers, they had beaten the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS three games to two before sweeping the New York Yankees in the ALCS in four consecutive games. The Tigers boasted the first Triple Crown winner in the Major Leagues in 45 years. Third baseman Miguel Cabrera had batted .330, hit 44 home runs and had 139 RBIs en route to being named the American League’s Most Valuable Player.

            But it would be the third baseman on the Giants who would steal the show in Game 1. Pablo Sandoval had been a non-factor in the Giants World Championship in 2010. He only played in one game and had been 0 for 3. But in 2012, things had been different. He batted .333 with a home run and three RBIs against the Reds, then slugged two dingers, drove in six runs and batted .310 against the Cardinals.

            Now it was Detroit’s turn to try and tame the Panda. And to do that, the Tigers looked to pitcher Justin Verlander. The Giants would go with Barry Zito on the mound.

            In the first inning, Sandoval put the Giants on the scoreboard first with a home run off of Verlander on a 0-2 pitch. Two innings later, an RBI single by Marco Scutaro made it 2-0 San Fran. Then, Sandoval cracked his second homer of the game, scoring Scutaro ahead of him and it was 4-0 for the Giants. In the fifth, Zito helped his own cause with a single that scored Brandon Belt and it was 5-0.

            Then it was Sandoval’s turn again. His third home run of the game gave the Giants a 6-0 lead as they headed for an 8-3 opening game victory. Sandoval became just the fourth player in World Series history to hit three home runs in a single game: Babe Ruth (who did it twice, 1926 and 1928), Reggie Jackson (1977) and Albert Pujols (2011) being the other three.

            The Giants went on to sweep the Tigers and win the World Series. While Sandoval didn’t hit another home run in the Series (or drive in another run), he did continue to hit well, finishing with a .500 batting average and was named the MVP of the Series.

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com

This Day In Postseason History: October 23, 2005: White Sox Get Power From Unexpected Source

October 23^rd, 2005

World Series, Game 2

Houston Astros at Chicago White Sox

U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago

            One year earlier, the Boston Red Sox had broken the “Curse of the Bambino” in dramatic fashion when they came from three games to none down in the ALCS, to defeat their hated rival, the New York Yankees, then swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. The victory ended 86 years of post season futility for the Red Sox.

            In 2005, it was the Chicago White Sox’s turn to try and break their curse. Chicago’s last championship had been in 1917 (88 years, longer than Boston’s). They were the odds-makers’ favourites to win it again in 1919, but they lost the best-of-nine series five games to three to the Cincinnati Reds. One year later, eight members of the White Sox were indicted for conspiring with gamblers to purposely lose the Series to the Reds. While all eight were found not guilty by a court of law, they were banned for life from baseball by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

            The “Curse of the Black Sox” followed Chicago’s south side team thereafter. No World Championship and only one Fall Classic appearance, coming in 1959 (a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers). In 2005, Chicago took out the defending champions, Boston, in the ALDS in a three game sweep, then defeated the Anaheim Angels in five games in the ALCS. Their opponent in the World Series would be the Houston Astros, who had upset the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS in six games.

            After a 5-3 win in Game 1, Chicago was looking to take a two games to none lead. For that, they turned to left-hander Mark Buehrle to pitch while the Astros would go with another left-hander, former Yankee great Andy Pettitte.

            Houston hit the scoreboard first, in the top of the second, when third baseman Morgan Ensberg led off the inning with a solo home run. But the Sox came back with two in the bottom of the inning. An RBI single by third baseman Joe Crede, and a sacrifice fly by shortstop Juan Uribe gave Chicago the lead. But the Astros tied the game at two in the third on a sacrifice fly of their own, this one off the bat of first baseman Lance Berkman.

            On Berkman’s next trip to the plate, in the fifth, the Astros took a two-run lead when the slugger doubled to left field, scoring Brad Ausmus and Willy Taveras. The Astros took the 4-2 lead to the bottom of the seventh, but removed Pettitte from the game in favour of relief pitcher Dan Wheeler.

            With one out, Uribe doubled. An out later, Wheeler walked Tadahito Iguchi and hit Jermaine Dye with a pitch to load the bases for first baseman Paul Konerko. The seven-year White Sox drilled the first pitch he saw off of new reliever Chad Qualls over the wall for a grand slam and a 6-4 Chicago lead.

            But with two out in the top of the ninth, it was the Astros turn to come back. With runners on second and third (Chris Burke and Jeff Bagwell), and White Sox closer, Bobby Jenks on the mound, pinch hitter Jose Vizcaino hit a line drive base hit to left field that scored both runners and tied the game at six.

            In the bottom of the ninth, with the game still tied and Houston closer Brad Lidge pitching, light-hitting left fielder Scott Podsednik, who hadn’t hit a single home run all season in 568 at bats, drilled a 2-1 pitch over the right-centre field wall to walk off the Astros. Chicago had taken the game, 7-6, and now led the Series two games to none.

            Chicago would go on to win Game 3, 7-5 in 14 innings, and Game 4, 1-0, to sweep the series and win their first World Championship in 88 years. The “Curse of the Black Sox” was broken, the second year in a row a lengthy jinx had been ended. 

Follow us on Twitter at @topofthethird

Like us on Facebook
Send Feedback to topofthethird@gmail.com